Posted 11/19 at 7:20 AM
Pete Pranica is the Grizzlies television play-by-play announcer. He and Sean Tuohy make up the broadcast team that hosts Grizzlies Tonight! before each home game.
The Grizzlies looked more like a team than they have at any other time this season—the result? A second consecutive win.
In the grand scheme of things, a two-game win streak over Minnesota and the Los Angeles Clippers doesn’t make the eyebrows crawl off your forehead. Neither team is playoff bound and both have suffered significant injuries early in the season.
But, as when a hungry fisherman hooks a fish, there’s no throwing these two Ws back.
The Grizzlies took a fatigued and sliding opponent in the Clippers and never gave them much reason to believe, leading wire to wire in a 106-91 drubbing at FedExForum Wednesday night.
The domination was complete as the Grizzlies won every meaningful statistic with the exception of offensive rebounds (the Clippers enjoyed a 12-9 edge, but the Grizzlies managed ten more second chance points). It was at once a victory to send the Grizzlies back on the road with a measure of confidence and a defeat that may well spell the end of the Mike Dunleavy era in Clipperland. Five losses in the last six outings may be more than owner Donald Sterling can take. I asked if Dunleavy had lost his team already this season. No, I was told, Dunleavy lost his team last season.
While Dunleavy may well have lost his team, Lionel Hollins has seemingly found his. With a more favorable schedule and clarity on the Allen Iverson situation, the Grizzlies have been putting in the practice hours and carrying over the lessons learned to the game floor. The Grizzlies came into the game averaging little more than a one-to-one ratio of assists to turnovers; last night, they rang up 23 feeds against just 13 turnovers. The turnover number was the second-fewest by the Grizzlies (they had a 12-miscue night against the Clippers earlier this month).
Marc Gasol continued his individual brilliance—16 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks—while missing just one field goal try. Rudy Gay rebounded from a silent first half to post a team-high 21 points (honors shared with former Clipper Zach Randolph). The bench also showed promise as DeMarre Carroll rang up a 10-point game and Marcus Williams rode to the rescue after Baron Davis got both Mike Conley and new arrival Jamaal Tinsley in foul trouble.
Afterwards, head coach Lionel Hollins talked about “becoming a team again.” And yes, this did look a lot like last April’s Grizzlies rather than the group that fumbled away very winnable games in Sacramento, Golden State and Los Angeles.
Players credited a no-coaches-allowed film session and a frank airing of grievances.
No one mentioned it, but I have to imagine that the resolution of Allen Iverson’s leave from the team has been beneficial. The Grizzlies were excited to add a 10-time All Star and former MVP as someone who could show the young Grizz cubs what it takes to be great in the NBA. I can imagine their surprise and likely disappointment in Iverson’s “the only way I can help a team is by starting” belief.
The late Michigan coach Bo Schembechler once said, “Those who remain will be champions.” The Grizzlies who have stayed true to Lionel Hollins’ course so far may not be champions this season, but they are on their way to being winners—as a team.
Posted 11/19 at 7:20 AM
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